Third-Person POV

Three days after Hezekiah's death...

"I still can't believe that Cameron's giving us the silent treatment," Alex scoffed as he joined his older sisters for lunch, the newly-hired chefs (and the other newly-hired help swearing their allegiance to the family and what they stand for, save for a few who scorn the family in general other than Cameron) keeping silent as they served the food. "And all because of that loser who's not worth sobbing over for."

"It's because they shared that brotherly bond or whatever that old hag Simmons placed on them," Leigh-Anne commented as she sipped on a glass of lemon water,  she and Mariah dressed in matching Dior. "Has he even apologized for punching you yet?"

"No, not even once. My twin should be the perfect image of Dad and myself, not being some whiny loser. Fine twin I got stuck with. What's even worse is that he's totally moved out of our bedroom and wanting to have his own nanny. Might as well since Jana Sauerkraut thought that I was too evil to be his brother while she treated him like her grandson."

"All old ladies have their favorites," Mariah hummed, "but Mrs. Simmons should've spent more time with us than with him and Hezekiah anyway. We were the only ones who gave her luxury gifts while Dad and Mom made sure she got paid well while taking care of her family. Some head maid she was. I'm glad that she and everyone else who was on her side won't be at my wedding."

"Definitely," Leigh-Anne agreed. "Come to think of it, I'm actually glad that Mom and Dad let them leave. All of them liked that loser because he was so..."

"Worthless, like they were?" Alex suggested. "Obviously. Dad wanted Hezekiah to just let him work for them, but Mom said that it would've just brought back the memories of her attacker. Besides, Mom said that he was worth more to the family dead than alive thanks to the insurance policy she filed on him."

"Any of you guys will miss him?" Mariah asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"Not a chance," Alex scoffed. "He basically polluted my brother with that hag's words and beliefs. I didn't want that to affect me at all."

"Me neither," Mariah agreed. "Besides, Andy thought that he might've brought bad luck if he was at our wedding. His suicide did us a favor."

"For sure," Leigh-Anne said as she sat up and raised her glass of lemon water. "Let's drink to the loser's death and make this vow to move forward. After the funeral that'll be held next week, we move on with our lives and put him with the other ghosts in the past. A toast to the death of Hezekiah Chamblee."

"To the death of Hezekiah Chamblee," her siblings cheered as the clinked their glasses and continued to eat their food.

***********************

Meanwhile...

Cameron huffed a deep breathed as Jana (his assigned nanny upon request whom took a liking to him and was known to be Minnie Jean's friend) closed the door. "You see what I'm dealing with?" He said to the older woman. "This is what's been like since Hezekiah died. No one has even shed one tear for him like I did."

Jana Salzbach (a widowed grandmother from Munich) sighed heavily as she joined him on the bed, sitting next to him. "Minnie warned me about this family, but I never expected anything like this," she said, her German accent thick with age and contempt for the people who hired her. "Young man, I'm sorry that your brother got dealt with such a bad hand. Are you truly sure that he didn't commit suicide as your parents said."

"I've never been more sure about anything other than that," Cameron vowed as he grabbed the journal (the one item that he kept hidden while Hezekiah's belongings were swiftly thrown away by his mother's orders) from the bedside drawer. "And my brother  said to me himself that if anything happened to him it was our parents who had a hand in this. Which is why I have to read about Hezekiah's life."

"I think that's a good place to start," Jana hummed.

Cameron took a deep breath as he sat up straight and opened the journal, turning to the first entry.

August 29th (Finally)!

Since I know that being a high schooler with issues is going to be the start of my journey as a teenager, I might as well make use of this journal that Minnie Jean Simmons gave me. She always knew that my family (save for Cameron, the one sane sibling who sees me as his brother) were full of bad eggs. Anyway, I just got back from my first summer vacation in Europe. Unfortunately for me, my summer vacation was spent at an academic  summer camp with no privileges, no friends, and no way of making contact with the outside world- all arranged by Mom and Dad who thought that I should focus my time in schoolwork and not making any friends at all.

Which is likely the case for my time at Allendale Christian Academy, the same school where Mariah and Leigh-Anne graduated from. And I know that everyone will either use me as a punching bag or a whipping boy since I'm a scrawny little nobody who reminds me of the rapist who broke the family (Mom's words, not mine). But hey, anything to make my parents happy and keep the prestigious "Chamblee Diamond Standard" intact. All I can say is that I'm hoping that being a teenager will make things easier for me, not worse.

As for this journal, maybe it could be useful for Cameron since he'll be looking for some guidance in the future. So I can use the next entry as a starting point to write the future ones as letters to my brother. That could work.  So Cameron, if you're reading this it means that you're the lucky Chamblee to come across this as a guide of being a teenager in a family of assholes. And all I can tell you is that what I'll be recording is my version of the truth. Take it or leave it, that's how it is.

Wish me luck, little bro. I'm going to need it.
-H.C.

September 3rd

Well, Labor Day has come and gone and with today comes my first day as a freshman at Allendale Christian Academy. Cameron, if you ever go to this school, know that the expectations that'll be placed on you will be high, especially when it comes to our parents.

Dad took the liberty of having me placed in Honors Classes while Mom talked to Headmistress Berkmar and made sure that my free periods and lunchtime were spent with the teachers. "You don't bring much to the table other than the memory of your mother's tragedy," Dad intoned this morning when I got dropped off. "But at least you're smart enough to get good grades. So it'll be up to you to keep out of the spotlight and be attentive to your grades. Meaning no extracurriculars, no friends, no after-school ventures- it's all about schoolwork and your catechism lessons at St. Catherine's after classes."

Lovely father, am I right, Cameron?

Anyway, my future is going to look bleak with teachers playing hound dogs while my classmates will just be too cool to speak to me. As for the juniors and seniors? Well, I picked up the memo real quick when I had to give one footballer my lunch tray. And word to the wise? The sooner that you accept your place in the lower rung of the social circles, the easier it might be for you...I hope.

Here's to the start of high school, Cameron. I pray that your time will be better than mine will.
-H.C.

"Wow," Cameron hummed, closing the journal and handing it to Jana. "I can't imagine how he could've dealt with being a high-schooler at Allendale Christian Academy."

"That's for sure, child," Jana agreed. "Since I'll be staying in your brother's room, I'll be keeping this safe for you and we'll spend your free time together reading it. And should the occasion rise for you to go out of town or the country, I'll pack this in your  suitcase when the time comes for you to read more about your brother. Just remember your promise, Cameron. All will be made clear when the time arrives."

"I will."

Okay, folks. When it comes to Hezekiah's journal entries, they'll show sporadic entries that span throughout his time at Allendale Christian Academy and his holidays spent in Europe. Anyway, the entries will feature key elements about his relationship with Chance (which will be apparent in the next few chapters as the boys are in the Nexus), his brotherly bond with Cameron, and a few secrets about his dad.

But coming up next, it's time for Hezekiah to watch the alternate timeline where he doesn't exist...and there will be tears and flashbacks. Stick around.

Song: "Memories" by Maroon 5. Dedication: TheoryKierei.

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